


Sick Days

by IsisKitsune



Series: What to do when your Genius, or Doctor, become children [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: De-aged Strange, Gen, Hallucinations, Kid Fic, Magic Revealed, References to Drugs, Sickfic, Teen Angst, The sass is real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 01:43:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8602285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsisKitsune/pseuds/IsisKitsune
Summary: Looks like it's Tony's turn to babysit, or Doc sit rather





	

**Author's Note:**

> ***Hallucinogens tagged due to kid!Strange's unwillingness to accept magic. No drug use of any kind just reference to one believing that they have been effected by drugs***  
> For those of you worrying  
> Kage made me do it. {She titled it too}  
> Alright, I finished it, happy now? XD
> 
>  
> 
> As always let me know anymore tags that I'm missing.

Tony sighed when Jarvis announced an 'odd' and, to the AI, 'unknown' individual asking for him at the door. “He said his name was Wong Sir, would you like me to ask him to leave?” Needless to say since the several months of his absence the AI had seemed to be extremely protective of him.

“Wong? Yeah, let him up... Did he say anything else?” Tony was already heading for the elevator, half expecting an argument to break out if they'd found out what he'd been doing but that didn't add up to the visit. He knew well enough Wong would have tracked him down long before now if he knew. “What's up?”

Wong stood in the elevator, a very mopey cloak floating behind him as the genius's eyes fell on the boy looking to be inching away from the two. “Guess...”

“Oh god, Stephen?”

Those familiar blue eyes bolted over to him, the small boy jumping when he suddenly realized there was another behind him and the boy backed himself out of the elevator, away from them all. “How did you know my name?”

Tony sighed and rubbed his brow, “I'll get some cocoa...”

“No one ever maketh it right,” the boy pouted, realizing Tony smirked at the lisp and glared at him as if daring him to mention it.

“I'll get some cocoa,” Tony just grinned and lead the way to the kitchen to prove the young sorcerer to be wrong.

-

“He won't stay at the Sanctum, he's escaped three times, at this point I'm worried he'll get himself hurt,” Wong explained while Tony prepared the cocoa, not paying much attention as he watched Dummy roll over to check on the new boy. “I know you just got over your bout with this... flu or whatever it is but I'm worried if he's contagious that others might end up with it. I thought, since you know what's going on, perhaps you could look after him?”

Tony snorted, “I'm more worried about Carpet than the Doc, look at it, it's obviously heartbroken,” the cloak kept trying to sidle up to its skittish sorcerer to be, the boy bolted away from it when he realized it got within touching distance and kept watching it as if it was the monster under the bed. “Hey, Carpet, give me a hand over here,” the cloak turned towards him before floating over, its collar drooping and it's edges refusing to flutter as it flopped itself over Tony's shoulders. “I know, it'll be alright.” Tony rubbed at his shoulder, feeling the material hug him.

Tony did a dismissive gesture when Wong mentioned he had to get back to the Sanctum, “I got this, go on.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey, I owe the Doc,” Tony shrugged and headed over to the worried looking boy and handed him his cocoa. “Drink up,” god what was he going to call the kid? Steve, nah, they already had a patriotic pain in the ass by that name. Stephen seemed wrong with a kid this age, and Doc, well the kid wasn't exactly a 'Doc' anymore...

“Thank you,” Stephen nodded, jerking the mug back when the cloak reached out to touch him. “That plathe was jutht... wrong. I couldn't thtay there.”

“I understand,” Tony wrapped his hands around his shoulders when he felt the cloak shift to pull away, knowing it would try to wrap the worried child again, “But, believe it or not, it's real.”

Stephen shook his head and held the mug close, “Halluthinogenth. Thumpthing... It'th not real.” Tony smirked when the boy's eyes shot open at the first sip. “You made it right...”

“Yep,” Tony grinned and patted the boy's shoulder.

“How did you know how to make it?”

“It's hard to explain, mainly because I don't think you'd understand it all. Well, not at this point in time but, you taught me how to make it.”

Stephen blinked as he stared down at the mug and looked around for a place to set it, “Make me underthtand.”

Tony laughed, “That might be a little difficult.” Tony shifted his shoulders, the cloak pulling away on instinct as his shifted to sit down. “Alright, for one, nothing you may have seen was hallucinations, all of it was real.”

Stephen glared toward the wall, “Bullshit.”

Tony couldn't help but laugh at the sudden expression of fright when the boy realized what he'd said, “Yeah that's what I'd said too, just a few years back actually.”

“Okay, if that wath real, then... Why wath I there? How did I get there?”

“Well you see, a little bit ago I was there, a friend of mine is a doctor and he was taking care of me. It wasn't a normal flu, it was something humans hadn't come across yet, and well. The result seemed to be that while I was ill I was reverted back to a child.”

The kid snorted and stood up to leave, “I repeat, Bullshit.”

“What if I told you his name was Dr. Stephen Strange?” Tony called after just before the boy got out of sight, making him stop.

“Thtrange?”

“Yep, the one and only.”

Tony smirked at the boy rolling his eyes, “There'th alwayth more than one perthon with the thame name... Too many people in the world not to have more than one.”

“The Doc told me a story once, about how he wanted to be a doctor ever since he was a little kid. Tell me, are you at that age yet?” Stephen's eyes widened when Tony struck the nail on the head. “I'll take that as a yes.”

“A lot of people want to be doctorth, that doethn't explain anything.”

Tony sighed, “Alright, Jarvis, can I get some photos up please? Maybe a few articles?”

“Sir,” the boy jolted at the voice, “Might I mention that may be a bad idea?”

“Jarvis, no sass, just find the damn things. Something, happy.”

“Of course, Sir.”

Tony watched the boy jump back when the articles appeared in front of him, before the astonished look left and he read the articles and ran his fingers over the images Jarvis had chosen. “That'th... me?”

“Yeah, that's you kiddo.” Tony stood to let the boy read, feeling the cloak pull away to float close by, needing a drink. He decided to keep his hands busy by making himself some cocoa and waited for the boy to react further.

“Tho... I'm, thick?”

Tony smirked at the confused look, “Yep, it's kinda like the flu. You're in the early stage of it, and this is how you'll be until you get it out of your system.”

“Okay, but, what kind of thickness is it?”

“Uh, about that...”Tony frowned down at his cocoa, wishing he'd added a shot of something. “It's not an Earth illness.”

“Sir, might I say, you have all the tact of Hulk in a china shop?”

Tony smirked at the confused boy, “People have said worse about me.”

-

He'd led the boy to one of the smaller guest suites, essentially the only thing missing from it would be a working stove but the boy wouldn't need that at that age so he shrugged it off as he'd shown the sorcerer to be around. “If you need anything, Jarvis is always awake. Right J?”

“Of course, Sir.”

Stephen had seemed to accept Jarvis' presence as a constant, at least he wasn't flinching when the AI interacted, unlike he still did with the cloak now fluttering around the room in jerky excited “what's this?” movements. “Hey, Carpet, come on, let's let the boy settle in and give him some space.”

The cloak jerked around and floated over, drooping when a corner brushing the boy's shoulder caused Stephen to back away, “How ith it doing that?”

“Magic,” Tony smiled and patted his shoulder as he felt the weight settle there. “And, believe it or not, this, well it's kinda yours.”

Those blue eyes got adorably larger as he blinked and scanned the cloak as it tried to reach out. “Magic ithn't real.”

“Yeah, that's what I thought too.” Tony patted the boy's shoulder, making him jump, he frowned at the paranoid vibe he was getting. “Why don't you settle in. If you need anything Jarvis'll help you. Any idea what you'd like for dinner?”

“I'll manage,” Stephen mumbled as he checked over the rooms. “Thith ith my room? Thith lookth like a whole apartment.”

“Well, I go a little over board on things. Ask Jarvis, he'll tell you stories.”

-

“The fridge is stocked, right J?”

“Sir, you've been watching the boy's suit for the last 3 hours. Surely you've seen him open to fully stocked refrigerator door at least once by now.”

“Yeah, 3 times actually but he keeps looking at things. Is everything in date?”

“Of course, Sir.”

“Then what's the problem? I mean, there's plenty of stuff for snacks and sandwiches. Why hasn't he eaten anything?”

“Perhaps he doesn't like premade food?”

Tony sighed and headed down to the sorcerer to be's suites. “Hey, kiddo, ya wanna go out to eat somewhere?”

Stephen shrugged, “Okay.”

“Yer an indecisive little shit, ya know that?”

Stephen snorted as he checked the menu, “Did it have to be... weird?”

“Weird?” Tony checked the menu then sighed, right... 'weird'. His first reaction was to take the kid out to a nice place, not a 'normal' place for a kid his age. “Yeah, I'm kinda craving burgers. Wanna take a rain check on the 'weird' stuff?”

That got the kid to grin wide, “Yeah.”

“McDonald's or Burger King?”

Stephen made a face, “That'th the only choitheth?”

“Well, they're the best known.” Stephen rolled his eyes and spat out an address, Tony looked worried when he realized how many years back the kid's memory of the place probably was but headed for it anyway. He was more than a little surprised to find the old mom and pop place still there, and apparently still the same from the way the kid grinned and led the way in.

Stephen was smiling as Tony checked over the menu, smiling at the young lady that headed over. “Hi, can I have a Coke and a burger. Cheethe, fried onion, fried pickle, with the frieth on the burger?” She was new, or, if what Tony had said was true, someone that at least had never heard the order before, so he expected to explain what he meant.

“Alright, and you sir?”

Tony was smirking, “That sounds pretty good actually, I'll have the same. With a side of chili, that smells really good,” he smiled toward the table behind him, chatting a smidge with the lady that had ordered it and agreed that it was good.

The young lady took down the order, “Coke too or would you like something different to drink?”

“Coke's fine.”

“Alright 2 Strange specials and a side of chili. I'll be right back with those drinks.”

Stephen's eyes blinked so hard Tony damn near heard them, while the genius just started laughing, “Looks like they did name something after ya.” Tony smiled and flagged down another waiter, asking to check the menu. He smirked and showed the boy that there, under the specials list, was his order.

Stephen sighed, he'd made that order at least twice a week when he scraped enough money together to head to the diner after school, “Why did they have to call it Thrange?”

Tony nudged him and smirked. “Well I suppose it is a touch odd, not really all that strange.”

-

Tony realized a few things real quick; one, the boy didn't seem to trust the food at the tower... understandable, considering he's still not convinced someone wasn't dosing him somehow, two, the cloak was clingy and, when it wasn't trying to get in reaching distance of the still skittish boy, it draped over his shoulders and moped, three the boy didn't seem to like touch at all. Tony shrugged it off as unknown place, things, people, but realized real quick that no, that was a quirk. Tony just nodded and stepped back when one of his shoulder pats or casual brush when he showed the boy where the full kitchen was that it was actually a thing, not just an instinctual reaction to the unknown.

“Alright, kiddo, we're going shopping, come on.”

Stephen blinked at him but shrugged and followed, Tony sighed and frowned when the cloak reached out to try and pull itself over the kid's shoulders but ended up floating over, collar drooping as it reached over to curl around Tony instead. “Don't worry, the kid'll come around, just let him sleep on it.”

“I don't have any money,” was the protest he got when he told the kid to get whatever he wanted from the grocery store, smiling, of course, at the few odd looks he was getting as he nudged the cart along.

“I've got the money, kiddo, just get what you want. However much you want.”

Tony was astonished at how much fresh food the kid, once he received a few more reassurances about finances, making him supress a gagging noise, “Come on kiddo, get some damn sugar based cereal or something at least... No kid should eat this healthy,” he scooped up a head of lettuce before sticking out his tongue and dropping it back in the cart.

“Careful, you'll bruithe it!”

“You sure you're not the Doc?”

Stephen rolled his eyes as he, finally, grabbed a box containing more sugar than nutrition and tossed it in the cart, “Happy now?”

“Hell no, fruity pebbles are way better than lucky charms!” Tony grabbed up a box and tossed it into the cart, Stephen made an ick face before shoving it back on the shelf.

“It turnth into a gelatinuth matthhh, keep it away from me,” Tony laughed when he finally got a, normal, rise out of the boy.

“Ya gotta admit all cereal does eventually.”

“Lucky Charmth don't, the mathmellowth thtay crunchy.”

Tony blinked, “Huh, never thought of that...”

Stephen's smirk was all smug, and Tony had to admit the kid earned it as they went to the checkout, though he rolled his eyes when Tony raided the candy bars at the checkout.

“No one perthon needth that much sugar, ever,” Stephen sighed as he demanded to at least help bring in groceries, even if Tony had a few security help with the bulk of it.

“Back me up on this Jarvis, a growing boy needs sugar!”

Stephen laughed at the electronic sigh, “If you say so, Sir.”

“You too Jarvis? Blasphemy!”

-

“Sir, the young doctor's search history seems rather alarming,” Jarvis' voice drug Tony from his work.

“Wha-?” He rubbed at his eyes, knowing he was about to crash for the night when he saw his watch read 4am. “Look, Jarvis, he's a growing boy, and honestly it's a little creepy if this is about porn...”

“Sir, where as your mind seems to constantly be 'in the gutter' the young doctor's is on something a bit more worrying.”

“Okay, so, spit it out, what's he searching that's got you worried?”

“Drugs,” Tony sighed and let his head roll back on his shoulders as he stretched aching legs and stumbled toward the door. He noticed Dummy, now sporting a rather dashing red cloak, and smirked as he nudged the collar, “Hey, wakey wakey,” he grinned at the seemingly sleepy lift of the collar, “The kid's worrying Jarvis and probably wondering how long narcotics could be effecting him. Want to come along and see if he's ready for you yet?”

The cloak jerked up and flew over to his shoulders sluggishly before a shudder ran through it as he felt the full weight of it fall on him and the collar nuzzle him. He couldn't help but chuckle as he left the workshop.

Tony decided to get some cocoa while he waited for Jarvis to fill him in on details while he made sure the boy was still awake. Apparently he was and Jarvis was worried for his mental state at that point due to the obvious increase in worry at finding the answers not matching up with the facts that the boy had experienced. “He'll be alright J, don't worry, we'll take care of the Doc.”

Tony slid the ring in his pocket around his fingers before he entered the suite, holding the two cups of cocoa carefully in one hand as he knocked on the bedroom door. He did have some manners, no matter what Jarvis might say. “Stephen, Jarvis said you were still awake. I thought you'd like some cocoa.”

When he got no response he sighed and nudged the door open, Stephen was sitting back against the head of the bed, knees drawn up, looking to be afraid. “Hey, bad dream?”

“Haven't thlept yet... Brain won't shut off.”

Tony sighed as he walked over to set the cups on the nightstand, making sure to let Stephen choose the one he wanted, before sitting at the end, “Look, I know, if you're anything like me, your brain is probably going through every bit of information like a million times over, looking for something to explain all this but, honestly? Some things aren't meant to be explained.”

Stephen's mouth was moving as he scratched at his unruly hair, Tony blinked until he realized the boy seemed to be reciting articles he'd no doubt read that day. “It doesn't make sense.” Tony rubbed his eyes, then blinked when he realized the sorcerer to be was staring at him. “It stopped moving.”

Tony blinked at him before giving a sad smile and shaking his head, “Sorry kiddo, Carpet's resting is all. It's been a long day for all of us.” Stephen inched back when Tony shrugged his shoulders and the cloak suddenly jerked away to turn this way and that, as if expecting an attack. “Let me try to explain, um, know anything about something called a String Theory?”

Stephen's eyes finally settled on Tony before shifting left and right repeatedly, that stone faced reaction told him the boy was searching his memory, or possibly reading something in his head, “Bathically, everything'th connected.”

“Yeah, basically, and there are whole dimensions connected together by those strings. What if I told you, that with the right knowledge and willpower you could use those strings to draw some of the energy from those other dimensions to this one?” Tony closed his eyes and reached for the image of the place he wanted to be, drawing the circle with his hand and smiled when the portal opened against the wall of the room. “To us, it would appear to be magic, but in reality, it's just a different form of energy and physics.”

Stephen's eyes widened as he got up from the bed, circling around toward the portal, “Magic isn't real...”

“Magic is what we call it because we can't classify it any other way. They used to believe science was the devil's work after all.” Tony just shrugged it off and walked through. “Mornin' Wong, I'm just here for some light reading.”

The half asleep librarian blinked and nearly scalded himself on his coffee as he jumped when Tony suddenly walked through the portal to check the stacks. “What, how?!”

“I've been studying,” Tony found the few books he needed before smiling at Stephen's head appearing through the portal, as if worried to might close on him.

“Since when have you-”

“Awhile,” he gave Wong a wink as he handed a book off to the cautious boy, “Try that one, it might help you understand a bit more.”

Tony frowned when Stephen suddenly jerked away when the cloak attempted to circle him to land on his shoulders, “What is this then? Is it magic too?”

“It's called a Relic, and yes essentially it's magic too. It's an object infused with magic, it acts as a conduit to the spells that would otherwise risk harming the caster. This one, is sentient, unlike a lot of others. That's why it wants to be near you, it's trying to sooth you and itself by knowing you're alright.”

Stephen rubbed his eyes and blinked down at the book, “I am not alright...”

“I know, it'll be okay.”

“Why me?” Stephen watched as the cloak floated closer, but didn't cringe away when it was within touching distance this time.

“Because it chose you.”

Stephen blinked at the cloak as it floated low, no longer towering over the smaller boy, and reached out to brush fingers over the winged pendant, “Why me?”

The cloak flicked itself before wrapping over the suddenly stock still boy and held him tight, “Probably because you needed a friend.”

Stephen's shoulders were hunched, as if the cloak was weighing him down, “I don't have friendth...”

Tony shook his head, “You have more than you think kiddo.”

Stephen jerked away when he felt cool fabric brush his brow, “Stop.”

The cloak's collar tipped upward before it fluttered over to grab Tony's hand and drag it to Stephen, before the boy could jerk away, to show the genius what it'd found. “Well, looks like we're cutting the trip short. You're running a fever.”

“I feel fine,” Stephen jerked away from the hand.

“And you'll run yourself into the ground, trust me, I know.”

“I second that,” Wong called from the stacks, making Stephen glare and Tony smirk.

“Come on, let's get you back, you need rest.”

“I feel fine,” he repeated as he brushed away the sweat trying to form on his brow.

Tony stepped back through the portal, “Come on Strange, you need sleep, we both do,” he finally yawned as he waved toward the boy's bed, “Better head to bed before Carpet drags you there.”

Stephen snorted and attempted to glance at the books littering the tables before he eeped when the fabric around his shoulders suddenly started tugging him towards the portal. “No, thtop, let me go!”

Wong's head poked out of the stacks, smirking when he saw the cloak physically dragging the young, exhausted, boy back to his bed. “Every time...” He just shook his head and went back to work as the boy dug in his heels and pulled at the cloak before his feet finally hit the portal and he stumbled back through it. “It's like trying to move a mountain, I swear.”

Stephen suddenly jerked away when the cloak finally detached itself from his shoulders, tumbling him into the bed as it yanked the covers over him. “What do you think you're doing?!”

The cloak crossed its outer corners across its front and seemed to glare at him, physically stretching itself over the bed when he threw the covers off and attempted to get up. “Kid, I'd listen to Carpet this time around... You need to sleep.” Tony shooed away the cloak enough to allow the boy to sit up and handed him a mug of the cooling cocoa. “Try to calm your brain, or at least let it work on the equation while you sleep.”

“At leatht let me read for awhile... it won't calm down unless I can thee what you gave me,” Stephen took the book when Tony handed it back to him, he must have dropped it in his struggle.

“Alright, just for a bit, I'll be checking with Jarvis to make sure you sleep before dawn.”

“That'th not much time,” Stephen stated as he started scanning the first pages of the book, needing proof, in case it it was all just some weird dream he'd had from something they'd slipped him.

“You've done more with less,” Tony sadly watched as the boy continued to take a few minutes of time on each of the pages before moving on. He left the boy to his reading, needing rest himself.

-

Stephen jerked awake, making the red blanket suddenly draw away from him. He jumped away from the bed when he realized it wasn't the blanket but the cloak, now floating above the bed as if watching him. “Oh, right...” He grabbed the book, still sitting on the table next to the bed as he started flipping through the pages he'd read the night before, nothing had changed. “Alright,” fact checking satisfied, he continued to scan the pages where he'd left off, only cringing slightly at the feeling of the cloak draping itself across his lap as he continued to read. He didn't stop until he realized his hands had started shaking, when had he last eaten? He shook his hand and watched the shakes still for a moment before suddenly continuing, he needed to eat, his blood sugar was out of wack from the long fast. He set down the book to head to the kitchen, he needed to eat.

Tony blinked at the boy at the counter, a rather large knife in his hand. Not wanting to startle him he waited until the boy was finished slicing the apples and oranges he had on the counter, “Mornin'.”

He got a jump, as expected, but the knife was well out of harm's way, “Oh, morning.”

“You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, blood sugar imbalanthe, I'll be fine onthe I've eaten thomething.”

Tony sat down at the counter, “Mind some company?”

Stephen shrugged, Tony blinked when the cloak suddenly lifted off the boy's shoulder as the boy sneezed into his elbow, “Might be betht if you make your own breakfatht though.”

Tony just shrugged, “You ain't got nothing I haven't had kiddo, bring it on. Besides, it looks good and entirely too healthy to make someone sick.”

Stephen rolled his eyes as he felt the cloak flop back onto his shoulders before dumping the fruit into 2 bowls instead of one. “Want thereal too or jutht the usual coffee IV?” Damn the kid was quick, Tony had to admit as he grinned and grabbed a couple bowls and forcibly shoved one, now filled with Lucky Charms, at the boy next to his too healthy bowl of fruit. “That doethn't go too well with fruit, actually.”

“Don't care, I am witnessing you eat something unhealthy at least once.”

“I ate burgerth with you jutht yethterday!”

“Not the same thing,” Tony shook his head, holding his ground, and Stephen sighed as he splashed some milk in the general direction of his bowl.

“Fine, I'm eating it, happy now?”

“Getting there.” Tony smirked at the cloak crossing the winged pendants around the boy's neck, making Stephen frown and brush at the collar now tickling his cheek, just to make him squirm and glare. “So, you willing to put up with the cuddly Carpet now?”

“It'th not bothering me, tho I figured it shouldn't bother me.”

Tony blinked in mid bite, “In what language did that make sense?”

Stephen rubbed his eyes, “You know what I meant...”

“Yeah, I did, it still seemed off. You get enough sleep?”

“I'm fine, I thlept. I think the fever finally thpiked.”

“Looks it, why don't you try to get some more sleep after breakfast?”

“Might be a good idea.”

-

Tony was back to work, after making sure the kid actually went to bed instead of faked sleeping and reading the day away, forgetting little things like food, water, time... you know, the little things, when his arm was suddenly grabbed. “Damnit Dummy, I'm fine, I don't need a break!”

A whir and chirp to his left made him realize that wasn't what was tugging on his arm. He blinked tired eyes at the cloak pulling him to his feet. “Carpet? What's wrong?”

The cloak flicked a corner, as if dismissing Tony's worry, before jerking toward the curious bot now rolling close and chirping at it. Tony blinked as the cloak suddenly curled around Dummy's arm to lead him toward where Tony kept his blender and the bot whirred and chirped as the cloak patted his grasper before floating back to Tony to continue tugging him along. “Alright, what's going on?”

All he got in response was excited tugging at his arm as the cloak led him to the boy's suite. “You said he was alright...”

Tony smirked as the collar tipped up and backward towards the side, making him think of an eye roll, before the tugging was a bit more forceful when he slowed down. “Alright I'm coming...”

Tony sighed when he got into the suite and shrugged, “Alright what's the problem?”

The only response he got was the cloak floating over to nudge open the bedroom door before flicking itself over to drape over Tony's shoulders. “Would you thtop openning and clothing the damn door... You're giving me a headache.”

Tony chuckled at the slightly nasally voice as he peaked through the door at the pile of blankets, now in a fit of sneezes, before a dark overly curly head poked out and a set of annoyed blue eyes glared out of his hiding place. “Okay, Carpet, this was worth it.”

The cloak ruffled and fluttered off his shoulders to circle around and flop onto the mass of blankets now containing the sorcerer to be. “Laugh it up...”

“You look about as miserable as you feel I bet.”

“Not even clothe,” the unruly dark curls burrowed back under the blankets and a coughing fit followed, “You've had your laugh, go away.”

Tony jumped aside when he caught the sound of treads rolling at full speed, Dummy barely missing running over his toes as the bot made its way to the bed and held out a glass towards the blankets and chirped. “Oh, that's what you wanted.”

The cloak patted the bot's arm and took the glass before the happy bot could splash any of the contents out of it and tugged the blankets aside to hand the smoothie to the miserable boy. “What'th thith?”

“It's a smoothie, Dummy's big on making those.”

Stephen untangled his arms from the blankets to take the glass, “Thmellth like raspberry. Thank you Dummy.”

Dummy chirped and happily circled around as the boy sipped at it before rolling out of the room, happily finished with his task.

“Your stomach doing okay?”

“It'th not my thtomach, it'th my rethiratory thythtem that hateth me...”

“Ya want me to leave you alone kiddo?”

“Might be betht, I'm probably contagiouth.”

“Yeah, well, already been through this, you actually had to have caught it from me so...”

“You know what a relapthe ith right? It'th where you catch the thame viruth again. Only taketh one hotht to mutate it enough to catch it again.”

“Oh well, gotta admit, it was kinda fun being a kid again. Least I had a good sitter.”

“Thomething tellth me, if I could remember, I'd dithagree with you.”

“Yeah, probably, I was a little shit when I was a kid, at least that's what everyone's told me.”

“You're not half bad at being a thitter, I've had worthe.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Stephen's sighed as he set down the glass, “I'm too tired to finish that. Thank Dummy for me would you?”

“Sure thing Doc,” Tony smiled as the boy settled in.

“Not a doctor, Tony...”

“Not just yet.”

-

Stephen rolled over, not wanting to return to the horrible bouts of coughing and sneezing wakefulness would bring, he jerked back at the chirp sounding right next to his face. “What,” Dummy was there, chirping and happily holding out a smoothie towards him. “Oh, another smoothie? Thanks Dummy,” Dummy whirred at him when he took the drink and poked around at the mound of covers he'd just bolted from. “Oh, I guess I'm all better.” Dummy's hand drooped down as it chirped, the cloak floating over to wrap around the apparently sad arm and pat at it's grasper. “It's me, Dummy, I'm the child you're looking for, I'm just not a child anymore.”

Dummy whirred at him and circled him as he got up for the day, obviously confused, “It's complicated... I was the child, just trust me on that.” Stephen sighed at the now ruined clothes he'd gone to bed in. “Um, Jarvis, would you happen to know where some clothes that would fit me be? Hopefully close by...”

“Try the bathroom, Doctor, there should be an adult sized robe in the linen closet.”

“Thanks Jarvis.”

“Quite welcome, and might I say, welcome back Doctor.”

“Feels good to be back,” Stephen's smile faulted when he noticed the trembling in his hands, “Yeah, it's good to be back,” he grinned as he grabbed the robe. “Is Tony up yet?”

“Sir would be in the workshop burning off the two pots of coffee he had for breakfast.”

“Jarvis, I do love your sass,” Stephen laughed as he headed down to the workshop to find the genius.

“Why thank you Doctor, I do aim to please.”

“Hey, Stark,” there was a clatter as Tony dropped what he was doing to scrabble to see the bathrobe clad sorcerer. “I'm in the mood for burgers for lunch, know any good places?”

“Only if you wear that,” Tony laughed while Stephen rolled his eyes as he felt the weight of the cloak drape across his shoulder and hold him tight.

“Honestly, could I at least get some pants or something?”

“I'm sure I can find something that'd fit you.”

  
  


 


End file.
